


The Dog's Riddle

by badmoon



Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-05 07:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17914847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badmoon/pseuds/badmoon
Summary: I originally wrote this in the 7th grade. And my English teacher at the time liked it a lot. The original is lost. But them the basics of the story is still here. Including the ending.It's full of symbolism.





	The Dog's Riddle

Long ago, on the outskirts of village surrounded by woods, lived a boy named John. John was the only son of a farmer. He was the youngest and had six sisters. And even though they didn't have much, they had enough to eat and shoes on their feet.  
Being the seventh child, he was considered very lucky. This belief was proven time and again through out his life. He was never injured when he fell high from a tree, never swept away when the river was running fast, and he seemed to find lost things and returned them to their owners.  
John was also kind and humble. He always helped others. And never lied or complained, or even placed a rager. He thought, with his luck, it was in poor taste to bet against someone.  
Because of his luck and kindness. He was allowed to go where he wished. He was welcomed at every home and every shop, no door was closed to him.   
He allowed to travel, North, South, and East of the village and his home. The Western Woods were forbidden, even to the luckiest of people.  
There was a legion about the Western Woods. In those woods there was a path made of bone that led to a gate that was made of gold or iron, depending on the teller. The gate was guarded by a great dog. The dog told a riddle, those that answered the riddle incorrectly, were simply turned away, those that answered correctly would receive the reward beyond the gates, and those tried to get pass the dog we're eaten and their bones were added to the path.  
Many people had pass through the village to answer the riddle, and only those who failed to answer the riddle came back. When ask what the riddle was, they couldn't remember.  
The villagers were content with their lives and felt no need to bother the great dog.  
But like all things, their peaceful lives didn't last. Famine hit the village. It hardly rained and the river ran dry. The fields that use to give them enough to live gave them nothing. The woods reserve it's harvest, and there was hardly an animal seen. Those that were seen were vultures or were so thin that they couldn't feed a single person.   
The people that came to answer the riddle stop coming into the village. Rumors about the village being curse had spread.   
One night the village leader, who had married one of John's sisters, come to John's home. "My brother, I need your help," he said.  
John fought his hunger and smiled. "You know me, anything that must be done, I will do." He offered the village leader a set and took one himself.  
"You are very lucky and it must be you who does it. Go into the Western Woods and go to the great dog, surely it's gold and jewels that dog is guarding. With this fortune, we can go to the neighboring villages and buy what we need until this misfortune has ended."  
John stood up like a soldier, he believed the same. "I will go in the morning."  
The village leader kissed John's cheeks. "Bliss you, my brother."  
In the morning John left and went into the Western Woods. The woods looked like the others around it. After awhile John began to wonder why it was off limits.  
As he walked the woods around him became lusher and greener. He could hear the songs of the birds. A sound he began to think he never hear again.   
He came upon a beautiful fat pheasant cought in thorns.   
"Dear sir," the pheasant called. "Free me and spare me, and I will tell you where to get all the gold you could carry."  
Overcome with hunger, John killed the pheasant. He cooked and ate him. John felt full, but not satisfied. He figured the pheasant was lying. He knew the need to survive will causes others to do things they wouldn't normally do.  
John continued his journey. As it was getting dark, he come about a cabin. In front of the cabin was a widow in her garden. She turned to him. He couldn't see her face through her black veil. "Hello, kind sir." She said softly. "You must have travel far. Have a rest in my garden."  
John was tired and she seemed kind. "Thank you kindly, sweet lady." He sat down amongst her flowers and stones.  
The widow went inside the cabin. She came back out with some wine, cheese and a bit of meat. "You can stay in my garden for the night, but I ask you not come inside the cabin. If you do as I ask, I will reward you."  
John agreed. He found the request odd but he saw no trouble in it.  
That night the winds was hard and cold. He hold onto the little belongings he had. He knocked on the door to the cabin. Surely, the widow would let him get in with the harsh weather.  
There was no answer. John figured the widow did not hear him do to the howling winds. He opened the door.  
John was standing in a meadow. The wind, the cabin and the garden were gone. He was left in the cold not understand what just happened, but he was starting to understand why this woods were avoided.   
He found a tree to sleep under. The rest of that night was oddly silent.   
The following morning he wondered looking for the path of bone. To his amazement, he found it by midday.  
The bones were set into the ground like stones laying out a clear path. Skulls lined the border.   
He walked will into the night and into the next day. He felt a hunger he never felt before and he barely could stay wake. He found a shady spot to rest.   
He sat down and began to nod off. He had no idea how long he had been sitting when he looked out and saw a rabbit sitting on one of the skulls. Hunger over took his senses again. He slowly approached the rabbit.  
"You think you can eat me like a defenseless pheasant?" The rabbit asked.  
John stopped. "You know?"  
"Yes, I've been watching you since you entered this woods and I know many things. You use to be kind but the need to survive changed you."  
John realized this rabbit was right. "What can I do?"  
"I shouldn't help you, but I will with some give you advice. Return home and never come back here."  
John stood straight. "I'm here to save my village."  
"A man who seek fortune to save their village?" The rabbit hopped to the next skull. "I have followed you this far, I will continue. Let's see together what your choices have brought you." The rabbit hopped to another skull. "You're close to the great dog. I will give you another piece of advice. Give the wrong answer."   
John followed the path with the rabbit. Fog rolled in as he walked the path. He knew it was the afternoon but it seem to get darker.  
"Rabbit, is it always like this." John asked. He got no answer. He looked down at the skulls bordering the path. He couldn't see the rabbit.  
He suddenly got the feeling he should listen to the rabbit and turn back, but he continued forward.  
He finally saw what he was looking for. A gate, the glimmer of it cought his eyes as silver. In all the stories he heard about it, they never told it would be silver.   
The gate looked unguarded. John began to run. He thought maybe despite his last two deeds. He was forgiven and would be rewarded.  
John saw something standing in front of the gate. It was a statue of a veiled woman holding a pheasant and a rabbit. Beside her was a dog.  
The fog in front of him became thick and took a shape. Before him was a great dog. "What do you seek?" The dog asked.  
He dropped to his knees. "I have come for riches for my village. There is a famine, we only need enough to survive it."  
The great dog was silent for a moment then gave a nod. "Since you come in behalf of your village, your village will receive the same as you. Do you agree to this terms?  
John had no hesitation. "They put their fate in my hands when they sent me here."  
The great dog ask it's riddle. "No one can escape me, I come for all, King and bagger, old and young, good and bad, all are even in my eyes, who am I?"  
John was confused, this couldn't be this great riddle, the answer was so simple.  
Forgetting the rabbit's advice, John answered. "Death."  
"That's all I have to offer, that's all I have to give, that's everyone's reward."


End file.
